I sat there for a second, processing that. Then I sighed. "Okay, fine. Let's say I believe you. But why that world? Why send me into a novel? Couldn't you have picked literally anywhere else?"
"Simple," he said. "I made a huge profit by sending your soul to that world. Good enough reason for you?"
Greedy bastard.
"Guilty as charged," he said with a slight smirk. "Next question."
I took a breath. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. What do you actually want from me? You didn't just show up here to chat about old times."
He took another slow drag from his cigarette. "I think you already know why I'm here. I told you when I sat down, didn't I?"
Huh?
He already told me?
What was he... wait.
The pieces suddenly clicked together in my head.
"Bingo," John said.
"You can't be serious," I said. "You're really here just to make me stop that murder? Save some high school girl?"
He nodded, exhaling smoke into the air between us.
Unbelievable.
That's it?
"So let me get this straight," I said. "You want me to fight off a murderer to protect someone I've never met?"
"That's right."
"And what do I get out of this?"
He tilted his head slightly, considering. "Nothing, really."
I stared at him.
"You want me to throw myself into danger, possibly get killed, all to save some random person... for free?"
He dropped his cigarette and ground it out with his heel. "Like I said. It's for your own good."
"Yeah, I'm not buying that anymore," I said. "I'm not doing anything unless there's something in it for me."
He stayed perfectly calm. "You think I don't know what you're about to ask for? An SSS rank instant death skill? You're insane."
"Doesn't matter," I said. "I'm not doing anything unless I get something out of it."
"Listen, kid," he said, shaking his head. "That's impossible. A skill like that would cost me everything. And it would completely destroy the power balance in that world."
"Then forget it," I said flatly. "Find someone else to help you. Or better yet, why don't you save her yourself?"
"Can't," he said simply. "If I could interfere directly, I would have already. But the Association has strict rules about that. I'm not allowed to get involved. That's the whole reason I need you."
"Well, I'm still not—"
"D rank skill," he cut me off. "That's the highest I can go."
"No," I said immediately. "I want at least an SS rank skill."
He went quiet.
The silence hung between us. He just stared at me, expression unreadable.
Then, after what felt like forever, he said one word. "Deal."
My brain exploded.
Holy shit!
Yes!
I didn't even care that he could probably hear every thought racing through my head right now. I'd asked for an SS rank skill as a longshot, and he actually agreed.
Then I noticed something.
He was smiling. Not a friendly smile either. Something about it felt... off.
Why was he smiling like that?
Suddenly, a system screen flashed into view in front of me.
[Congratulations, host! You have been rewarded with an SS rank skill: Family Tree!]
Huh?
Family Tree?
What kind of skill was that supposed to be?
Curious, I quickly opened my system interface and navigated to the skill section under human racial abilities.
A new screen appeared, displaying the skill I'd just received.
***
[Family Tree]
***
I tapped on it, and another window popped up with the details.
***
[You will be given an SS rank family!]
[Note: One-time automatic use!]
***
Wait.
What the hell was this supposed to mean?
"It means exactly what it says," John said, breaking the silence. "You're getting a family. Right now, in that novel world, you're stuck in the body of an orphan. But when you go back, you'll automatically have an SS rank family waiting for you."
I looked up at him, stunned. "Hold on. That's a skill?"
"Sure is," he said casually. "Anything can be classified as a skill if you frame it right. I gave you something that barely costs me anything and won't mess up the world's power structure. Pretty smart, if you ask me."
"That's complete bullshit!" I snapped.
He raised an eyebrow. "You asked for an SS rank skill. You never said what kind. That's your mistake, not mine. I gave you exactly what you asked for."
Fuck.
Shit.
I'd completely blown another chance.
I should've been more specific with what I wanted.
But it was too late now. No point dwelling on it.
John suddenly sighed. "Michael, you know why I keep calling you kiddo?"
Oh god. Not another life lesson.
"No idea," I said. "Don't really care either."
"Alright then," he said with a shrug. "Anyway, I held up my end of the deal. Now it's your turn."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered.
I pulled out my phone to check the time.
12:53.
Wait a second.
I glanced at him. "You said the murder was going to happen in five minutes. It's been eight already."
"Should be any second now," John said, completely unbothered. "Get ready."
Great.
I tried to steel myself for whatever was about to happen.
Then I heard it.
A scream.
"Help! Somebody please help me!"
My head whipped toward the park entrance. There was a man standing there in a business suit and a mask covering his face.
Wait.
A salesman wearing a mask?
Something about this felt weirdly familiar. Like I'd seen this before somewhere. Or heard about it.
Then it clicked.
Oh hell no.
I knew exactly who this was. The news alert I'd gotten earlier this morning on my way to see Shia was about him. He was the serial killer who'd been terrorizing the city.
The masked salesman killer.
Anyway, leaving all that aside...
The man was gripping a blood-soaked knife, chasing after an office worker who'd already been stabbed in the shoulder. The worker was screaming, stumbling forward, begging someone to help.
But nobody did.
The killer closed the distance in seconds. He grabbed the man from behind and plunged the knife into his back.
The scream that followed made my stomach turn.
But the killer didn't stop. He stabbed him again. Then again. Two more times, maybe three. The office worker's body went slack, collapsing onto the pavement.
The killer straightened up slowly, scanning the crowd like he was shopping for his next target.
Then his eyes locked onto someone.
A high school girl. She'd fallen to her knees, frozen in shock after watching the whole thing. She couldn't move. Couldn't even scream.
I looked at John. "Her? That's the one I'm supposed to save?"
He nodded once.
Damn it.
I shot to my feet and bolted toward them.
The masked man was already moving fast.
The girl finally snapped out of it and scrambled to her feet. She had blonde hair and average height; nothing about her stood out. She started running, trying to lose herself in the chaos of people fleeing in every direction.
For a moment, it looked like she might make it.
But this guy wasn't giving up.
He tore through anyone in his path. Slashing, stabbing, shoving bodies aside without hesitation. His focus never left her.
Shit. He was obsessed.
I pushed myself harder, legs burning as I closed the gap.
Suddenly, the girl stumbled.
Her foot caught on something, maybe a crack in the pavement, and she went down hard. She hit the ground with a painful thud, her hands scraping against the concrete.
The masked man saw his opening.
He moved fast, closing the distance between them in just a few strides. He raised his knife high, ready to bring it down on her.
I didn't have time to think.
My legs just moved on their own. I pushed myself harder, lungs burning, and threw myself forward. My hand shot out and caught his wrist just as he started to swing the blade down.
His momentum stopped cold.
For a split second, everything felt frozen.
Then he turned his head toward me, slowly, and our eyes met.
Behind that mask, his eyes went wide.
He looked shocked. Actually shocked. Like he'd seen a ghost or something. Like he knew me.
But I had no idea who this guy was.
Still, I wasn't about to waste the moment.
I clenched my other fist and drove it straight into his stomach with everything I had. The air rushed out of him in a grunt, and I shoved him backward as hard as I could. He staggered back several feet, trying to keep his balance.
I didn't wait to see if he'd recover.
I spun around to face the girl, who was still on the ground, frozen in terror.
"Get up and run!" I shouted at her. "Now!"
My voice seemed to snap her out of it. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with fear, and took off without looking back. She disappeared into the panicking crowd, weaving between people who were screaming and running in every direction.
The masked man spotted her fleeing.
His head snapped in her direction, and immediately he started moving toward her again.
Not happening.
I stepped directly into his path, blocking him.
He didn't slow down. Instead, he pivoted toward me, his entire focus shifting in an instant. Without any hesitation, he lunged forward and thrust his knife straight at my stomach.
My heart jumped into my throat.
I jerked my body to the side, twisting out of the way at the last possible second. The blade sliced through the air right where I'd been standing, so close I could feel the breeze from it.
My phone.
Without thinking, I jammed my hand into my pocket and pulled it out. Before he could recover from his missed strike, I swung the phone as hard as I could at the side of his head.
It connected with a brutal crack.
I didn't care about my phone anymore.
All that mattered was keeping this guy away from that girl.
The masked man staggered backward, one hand pressed against the side of his head where I'd hit him. He was clearly disoriented.
I didn't let up.
Before he could steady himself, I swung my phone again, this time slamming it straight into his forehead with everything I had.
The screen cracked on impact, glass fragmenting under my fingers.
The blow sent him crashing to the ground. He hit the pavement hard and immediately curled up, both hands clutching his head. A low groan escaped from behind his mask.
The knife had slipped from his grip when he fell. It was lying on the ground a few feet away, the blade still smeared with blood.
I moved quickly, snatching it up before he could even think about reaching for it. Then I threw it as far as I could toward the other end of the park.
The masked man was still down, rolling slightly from side to side, his hands pressed against his head. Blood was starting to seep through the white fabric of his mask, dark red stains spreading slowly.
Shit.
I might've hit him harder than I meant to.
But honestly? He had it coming.
I took a shaky breath and looked around, scanning the chaotic scene for any sign of the girl.
She was gone. Thank God. She must've made it out while I was dealing with this psycho.
The park was still in complete chaos. People were screaming, running in every direction. Some had stopped to help the injured. Others were just trying to escape.
There were at least three or four people on the ground, clutching their stab wounds from when this lunatic had cut through the crowd while chasing her.
It looked like a war zone.
Damn.
What the hell had this guy done?
He had completely destroyed the peaceful atmosphere of the park. What had been couples laughing and enjoying Valentine's Day was now a scene straight out of a nightmare.
It felt like being in a hospital emergency room or something.
I glanced around again at the people scattered across the ground. None of them had been his actual target.
They'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. A strange wave of guilt washed over me, even though I hadn't done anything.
While I was still processing everything, the masked man suddenly reached up and tore off his white mask, flinging it to the side.
The moment he did, I finally got a clear look at his face.
And, I... Was shocked...
You? How...?